How to Make Your Own Vegan Jellies and Jams Without Gelatin

When I first became a vegetarian several years ago, I learned that food manufacturers use gelatin in all sorts of food items, namely gummy, sticky, chewy snacks and candy. Unfortunately, gelatin is derived from boiling the skin, tendons, bones, ligaments, and hooves of animals.

This ingredient can end up in jams, jellies, and food items containing a jelly center, so label reading is necessary to avoid it. Of course, you can make your own jellies and jams without using gelatin. Then, you won’t have to look out for gelatin on the label. Follow these steps to making your own, all-natural jellies and jams without gelatin:

1. Get Some Quality Jars

Stock up on some mason jars, because you’ll definitely need them at the end of this process to hold and store your jelly. Buy them in bulk to save money and I’m sure you’ll start finding several uses for the extra jars around the house, especially for preserving and fermenting food.

2. Choose a Fruit

Next, choose the type of fruit spread you want to make. If you’re a fan of berries, you must enjoy jelly, since strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries make for great, rich-tasting spreadable fruit. But don’t stop at the classics; you can also make yummy jam from mangoes too. Try to shop organic as much as possible, especially fruits that are part of the dirty dozen.

3. Emulsify and Blend

The fruit is the #1 ingredient for your jam or jelly, but the other important part is finding something to give your project a jelly consistency. Pectin is the plant-based alternative to gelatin when making jams and jellies, and it is a vegetarian product found in the cellular structure of fruits and vegetables. Pectin can solidify into a gel, and it can be used in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics to help thicken and emulsify products. You can find pectin at a grocery store, or you can follow this guide to making your own. Or, you can use different ingredients instead that would help bind and gel your jelly or jam, such as chia seeds. Some recipes may call for cornstarch and water that you boil with the fruit. Others may call for blending the ingredients with a Vitamix or blender.

4. Can and Chill

Once you have mixed your jelly or jam, transfer it to a jar. You’ll want to let it chill in the fridge for about half an hour before it is ready to serve.

Crackers, apples and sandwiches are all great ways to use nut and seed butters, but there are way more uses to put these magical spreads to work. Check out these 5 ideas to keep you healthy and keep your tummies happy!

Disclosure: One Green Planet accepts advertising, sponsorship, affiliate links and other forms of compensation, which may or may not influence the advertising content, topics or articles written on this site. Click here for more information.

0 comments on “How to Make Your Own Vegan Jellies and Jams Without Gelatin”

The trick with keeping the jam from going bad is to keep everything clean and away from bacterias! Cook the glass jars + lids in boiling water. Fill them with jam right as you take them out of the water, put the lid on quickly and place them upside down to cool off in the fridge.This way, with as little bacterias as possible, they will good to eat even a year after as long as you store them in a dark and cool place.You\'ll also get that classy "click"-sound when you open them.happy jamming!